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Wednesday, 20 April 2016

As I have alluded to, I have been angling for some extra sessions at work. There is a job that went out, and has been a bit slow to come to fruition (ie interviews etc). The reason for this is that there has been some upheaval in the unit, and they have not been able to delineate the roles.

Anyway, long story short, I told the team that I was going away for 2 weeks, and did they want to interview me before I left. They did, and applauded my persistence. They offered me the job, and I said yes. This was yesterday.

I hope I don't have to push them to get my paperwork done..the thing I am most looking forward to is the pay!

Yesterday, I also gave a lecture to a health sciences school at a different university. The seminar was full, lots of bums on seats; even the Dean attended. I don't know whether it will come to anything but good to have it done and dusted, and that it went off successfully and was enjoyed.

I am nearly finished a second draft of my paper. I am culling words like a skilled surgeon.

Warning Crossfit things ahead!

Every week, our Box releases a WOD (workout of the day) as a spotlight of one member. On Monday, I had my member spotlight. Here it is. So exciting. It was enjoyed (cursed) by many.

It's been 1RM (one rep-max) week at crossfit. A one-rep max is the heaviest weight of a particular lift you can perform once. Unfortunately for the lifts I have done, I have not been able to meet my previous PB (personal best). I think it is because I have been training pretty hard, and am potentially a bit tired. Though I am hoping to exceed 82.5kg for my deadlift this week.

In box jump news, that is progressing. I am better at jumping over rather than jumping on. Today I put a PVC bar on top of a 20 inch box, so the end was hanging off. Hence if I missed I would just knock over a very light bar. I am now glad to say that my jump is over 20 inches (21.5 including the bar). I am getting springy, people!

Ok Crossfit stuff over.

Sunday was a bit of an off day. Long time readers might know about the epic PMS I suffer.
We were out to brekky on Sunday morning, at a cafe. I was feeling a bit fragile (might've been some red wine I drank). We were sat out the front with the dog.

Two Audi 4WDs, one black, one white, rolled up and parked. From out of the black Audi a young woman and her man emerge. They pluck a little baby from his carseat out the back, and a bugaboo or other prestige stroller from the boot. They greet the couple from the white Audi. The mum strokes the pregnant belly of White Audi lady, whose hair is long and groomed in hair-straightener curls.

I promptly silently burst into tears, and dripped snot and tears into my breakfast eggs, rendering them inedible. I was not that hungry anyway. I was in a funk for the rest of the day. I have had enough emotionally shitty days to know that it's often just a day, and it's about muddling through. So even though I felt shit, I got shit done. I did stuff up until it was time to go to bed.

Wednesday, 13 April 2016

I have no problem reading blogs, and writing comments as intelligent and encouraging as I can muster, but I have had trouble writing a post. I wrote a post a week or so ago, but decided to take it down soon after, as it wasn't something I was very comfortable sharing.

Perhaps trying to write this paper I am working on, and writing a lecture, is draining me of further creativity.

I love reading the blogs of all of those people, like SSG, or Naomi, or FF, who make the ordinary come alive within a blog.

I even thought about writing about some beauty purchases I made. I like them, but I just can't bring myself to write anything more than that. "yep, 'sgood!" I will buy on the recommendations of SSG. I am a sheep, not a shepherd!

[Apropos of nothing, I bought some Clarins ever matte foundation, the L'Oreal nude palette, and made an online purchase of a Le Labo fragrance. I may or may not post about the Le Labo experience]

Don't get me wrong, the ordinary comes alive in my head, I am all for seizing the moment and relishing the small things, but it just doesn't come out in this forum.

I tend to write about things I am passionate about. Lately that has been Crossfit. I realise that is probably only interesting to me. Whatevs. I also like a bit of a rant about what is wrong with the world, but it's really a case of literally can't even.

I was going to write about the little baby that went missing in Melbourne, and was found dead. I had my doubts about the story in the media, and, sure enough, those doubts proved prescient. Yet saying "I knew it" is a bit silly. I can join in with the chorus that it is a waste of a dear, tiny life, but that's already been said too. It is devastating.

Yet what strikes me about it all is how much older than 22 the mother looks, like she has had many years worth of burden. Also the lack of baying for her blood - baying would not help the situation anyway. I have heard quietly understanding things being said, that motherhood can bring you to the very edge of, and possibly past, your grip on sanity. These things have been said by mothers, sotto voce. It is comforting in a way that this kind compassion exists in the context of such a tragedy.

That's all I am going to say about that.

I am now going to launch into something that I excel at, a miscellany.

I have been hunting for a good hotel room in DC, where I am off to soon, for a conference. Most of the bookings have free cancellation, and I have had a hotel booked for a while. However, I only had this hotel close to the conference centre for 6 of the 8 nights I was staying, also the price was steep for not a great place. More recently, I have been doing some research, reading hotel reviews, and scoping out the other hotels close by. Finally, I got onto Wotif, and took a punt on a mystery deal. First I booked for the 4 nights of the conference. The price was steep, but a lot cheaper than the open deals. After booking I found out the hotel - it was the one I wanted. I made a separate booking for the 4 nights prior to the conference. The mystery hotel had the same description as the previous, but was just over half the price for those four nights - sure enough, I found it was the same hotel. I rang the hotel to ask if I could stay in the same room for the 8 nights. Hence, now I am staying in a better hotel than the previous, paying less for 8 nights than I was about to for 6! Only catch is that it isn't refundable. Winning!

I have also scoped out crossfit boxes for while I am on leave, I get to meet my WODding bretheren from the US.